GMOs, Monsanto, Sustainable Agriculture, and Our Food System (Part 1)

I don't know where to start. Explaining what GMO is to people who STILL don't know what it stands for? Clearing up the misconception of what sustainable agriculture really is? Telling you that the food you are eating is probably made with ingredients that are from a lab versus soil but disguised as "whole?" What Monsanto is and the propaganda they are spewing?
I don't know.

But let me attempt to break down why this issue should matter to you. Like REALLY matter. (If you only could "like" this.)

GMO = Genetically Modified Organisms. Or genetically modified food. If you can call it food. More like people with green coats (green for money, really white lab coats) figuring out a way to make seeds produce more crops and resist weeds and bugs and anything else that might hinder a crop from growing. I'm sure if they could prevent hail and other weather damage, they would.

Digging deeper, you will almost gag when you hear how a GMO seed is produced. The process involves either adding or removing genes. If genes are added, they are from a different species! How on earth this is even remotely acceptable is beyond me. In fact in 2006, a pig was made to produce Omega 3s from a form of a roundworm gene. Try to process that one. I wrote about this topic last week and shared with you how a farmer's wife stated that a farmer today (2012) feeds 155 people compared to 26 in 1960.

So you're probably thinking, but isn't that a good thing? No. In fact, the opposite. Having seed produce more crops doesn't solve the world hunger problem. If it did, we wouldn't STILL have starving kids and families around the world. When seed is genetically modified, the earth's resistance to diseases increases. Cancer (and other diseases) are on the rise because of our food system and chemicals. Like our bodies were made to fight off illness, so is the earth (soil). We don't have to make our crops (food) into something they're not. Brilliant point I know.

Interjection. I grew up on a WORKING organic farm. In fact, one of the first organic farms in the states. Way back in the early '80s. So I know first hand how hard organic farming is. From weeds taller than your head if you didn't pull them out soon enough to certifications hoops that the farm had to go through in order to pass that commercial farms didn't have to. Little did I know that I would be on this side of the soil today. So, out of this, I have a few passions 1) Organic Farms 2) Farms in general 3) our food.

Moving on.

Monsanto. This could be a book in and of itself. I'll try to keep it brief. I will admit, that even I as I am writing this, I am livid. Monsanto are the people in the green - I mean white coats - spending their days a few ways. 1) Getting seeds to produce more crops 2) Making seeds resistant to virtually everything but acts of God. Weeds and bugs. Translated = pesticides, chemicals.

Have you ever driven down a dusty, country road with corn, wheat, soybeans, etc fields on either side of you? Did you happen to see signs plastered in those fields? Know where those signs came from? Monsanto. They PAY farmers to use either their seed and/or their pesticides, but they want you to believe they are helping farmers. Helping farmers my ass. They aren't helping farmers, they are slowing having control of our food supply. By genetically modifying the food we eat from a simple thing called seeds. There is NO reason to have crops produce more. This isn't a loaves and fishes situation. It is a situation of big brother trying to slowly control every little we do.

So why should you care about this? Well, it's affecting the way you live by the way you eat. Why do I keep preaching (for a lack of a better word) about the stuff you put in your body? Because everything you put in your body affects what you do. When you eat chemicals, crap (food) dyes and other artificial your body will react. Headaches, cancer, heart disease, fatigue, obesity, diabetes, Crohn's Disease, IBS, - the list is endless. And here is the point: YOU HAVE THE POWER TO WHAT GOES IN YOUR BODY. Crap or real food?

Analogy 1: Would you pour red dye all over your white wedding dress? No, of course not. So why in the world would you sit down to eat chemicals?

Analogy 2: Would you pay for a Poodle and when you show up to pick up your dog you're given a pig that is white?

If you don't understand those analogies, I don't know what to say.

There is so much to cover in this topic, I'm going to spend a few articles on this important topic. Yesterday I posted a photo of all the brands that Monsanto supports via their seed and/or pesticides. We will cover that in part 2. Please don't miss it. Your health matters to me.

And I'll leave you with this:

"Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food" Isaiah 55:2 NLT